Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 44: This Stays Between Us

**

That skill I had learned to use was coming back into full circle - the skill of silence. The skill of quietly planning.

When Sajida had left, my mind was buzzing frantically. There was a lot she knew that Mama wouldn't allow her to tell me. The only way I was going to find out any of this information was if I went to the Bayou of the Shunned to speak with her privately.

But I would never tell this idea of mine to the Coterie.

So, I remained silent.

The Coterie looked to Mama for clarification on what just happened; on what Sajida just said. Mambo Nene, Mama's trusted advisor and the one who always comes to her defense, stepped forward and wore a look that expressed loss and confusion.

"What Sajida talking 'bout, Alize?" Mambo Nene asked.

"Nothing. She's crazy. Y'all know this already."

"She mentioned tempus summatum," Ava Claudette said. "That same word that was mentioned last night."

"Does Lisa really travel back in time?" Qadira gave me a puzzled look. "How is that even possible?"

"Tempus summatum is a spell," Missus Taima answered. "A time-traveling spell. But few know how to recite it properly, and even fewer even live through it."

"It's literally removing yourself from a point in time and inserting it into another," Mother Babette said. "How could anyone's body survive that?"

Qadira scoffed in amazement. "Lisa's body survived it. And if she really did travel back in time to write these papers with Marie Laveau and Doctor John in the flesh, then maybe she is the key to stopping Abraham."

"The solution was in front of us this whole time?" Missus Taima looked suddenly relieved. "This whole time!"

There was this odd wave of optimism that washed over the Coterie. They all began to gravitate towards me, moving closer and examining me, looking for these otherworldly traits about myself that they believed they had overlooked before. What was it about me that made me the prophecy? What was so special about me that made me the one to save them? How was I the Child of an Unholy Union? Even I couldn't answer these questions; I didn't even know who my djab was. But they looked at me for answers. They looked deep into me, wondering what it was about me that the gods saw something in. I kept my mouth tight as they studied me, but I knew the answer to these questions: lave tet. But if I were to even mention those words with no context, Mama would explode.

So, I remained quiet.

Mama quickly came towards her sisters and broke up the congregation, "All Sajida does is speak nonsense. When have we ever trusted her word?"

"Never," Qadira said. "But now there's evidence to back it up."

"There is no evidence!" Mama snapped. "My daughter has nothing to do with our quarrel with these bloodsuckers, and that's that."

Don't say a word, Lisa. Don't you say a word.

The Coterie was in no position to defy my Mama and her wishes, so they silently agreed with her. But I knew that they were still curious. Aza stood by, arms crossed, eyes towards the ground. I couldn't read her facial expression, and wondered what exactly it was that she was thinking about? Sometimes, she was on Mama's side. But other times, she opposed Mama and what she stood for. Did she believe I was 'chosen'?

"So, what do we do now, then?" Qadira asked, sarcasm evident in her tone. "If Lisa isn't the 'solution'?"

"We need to get ready for this dinner party," Mama answered. "Starting with the attire. But we also use this opportunity to find out whatever it is these bloodsuckers know."